Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-01-07
A RESUM E.
"A Lock Back Over Affairs for Five Years.

Ahn cApC'iShSSA u ocfCLOpIutuG
In her history, and hardly cqnaIed by that Of
any other community Of the country for a
like period OF time. Her growth in popula
,liOn has been nearly 90 per cent, and her as
scssed real and personal estate has increased
from $37l, l5s,9Ul, In 1881, to S458, 4S4.7 IN
1885. The iDdn.trleY and business interests
Of her people have kept pace in their devcl,
weslth, and tho foundations have been
bIoadened and strengthened for that greatness
of empire VIII CHI is abundant promiso OF our
future destiny. A brief reference 10 the
II ensures and policy that have specially char
ncterized the administration OF her public in.
terests during this period may not be regard
cd ont OF place III Ibis connection.
So rapid n growth has necessarily involved
largely Increased expenditures in the main
tenaDce OF the several departments OF the
state government and in the enlargement and
support OF her state institutions. Extraordi-
nary expenditures also have been occasioned
by the necessity Of replacing public structures
destroyed by fire, notably the state capitol,
the state prison aud the Arst hospital for the
insane. Expenditures for permanent public
Improvements the pasth years have exceed
ed In the aggregate $l,5O0.OOO. The
interest also upon the railroad ad-
justment bonds which represent our present
state debt first became burden upon the treas
, ury In 1882. But Notwithstanding these large
y iAS! o01ou ueA"o"us upoh 'Ao etsto He"hh'y,
they have been promptly met and the public
debt considerably reduced without adding 10
the burdens the people In the way OF taxa
tton: 10 fact there has been paid AZ taxes to
The state less than WAS paid during either OF the
wo periods OF five years Immediately precet-
ing. The average for the five years ending
with 1876 was S472, 1856 81 per annum; for the
for the i've years ending with 1885, $448.6N.97
This In view of the enormously
increased assessed valution of the state would
further show largely diminished rate of
taxation. The average rate FOR the fret period
named WAS 3 .28-lOO mills per snnum and for
the last 1.46'1OO mills. This showing has
been made possible mainly by the largely ang.
nlented revenues of the state from other
sources. especially receipts from railroad and
insurance companies. The trust funds have
been Increased from 8.276, oil. " In 1851 to
$0,CO1 1914 in 1855. These additions are
; the proceeds Of the sale Of land and pine
stumpsge belonging to the several funds ex-
cept 3l42. 500. II which has been realized rs
pront on the sale and exchange of securities
Ield by these funds. Recent investment of
these funds have been In the bonds of the
state Of Tennessee which have largely in
creased in value since their purchase, and
II sold at the price at which the last purcha,e
was made further profit of $780,, $40 would be
realized.
and retrenchment in public expenses the
, state board OF corrections and charities was
Organized In 1882. Its efficiency in this
service has been shown in the improved
methods adopted through its fundamentally
. In many of the counties Of the state. in the
ad rainistrations of their local institutions and
the decrease in cost of maintaining their
charitable and penal dependents. The board
have also instituted uniform system of
? accounting under which all expenditures at
our state institutions are spread before the
pu blic In an Ineligible form,
The change from annual to biennial elections
was made in 1883. As a measure In the inter.
est of public economy and reform this change
must be regarded a. most salutary one,
The present com p,ete sanitary organization
of the state and Its effective measu res for the
protection OF the nublic health together with
It's am pie provision for the management and
control Of diseases amone animals are mainly
the results of the lepislstion of 1885. supple-
mented by the vigorous and efficient action OF
the state board Of health. No state is now
better equipped than our own to deal with
emergencies growing out of epideunics or in.
.fectfoiie diseasen
AZ great public charity and an agency of
moral reform the state school for dependent
and neglected children. recently opened at
Owatopna will command place alongside the
most worthy fnstttu tio1s Of the state. Its
work in retaining from the communicating in
fuences Of ienorance and vice these innocent
dependents, will be felt in future years in
saving to the ci,lzenehip of our state thou
sands who might otherwise contribute to
swell the uopulstion OF her penal institutions.
Tn 1891. the state militia was renresented nv
a few iudependept companies. scattered. neg
lected. and poorly oreanized and eouipped.
From that nucleus has been developed our
present effective Organization OF national
guards, as compact, well DISCIPLINED and re-
la bio body OF citizen soldiers. in proportion
to numbers. as INV state of the Union can
nhow.
The immunity from taxation of tho lands
held by railroad corporations has for years
worked hardship and gross Injustice to settlers
in suar.ely uonnlated sections of tho state. and
constituted a grievance of great MAGNITUDE.
, thia reoard nv tho resnlt nf ths recent nrose-
s1ain.t f;ve NJ thu cornora,ions which Mace.